Nov 11
13
‘Cassgate’ affair highlights shades of GAA grey
Donegal's Kevin Cassidy who has put the cat amongst the pidgeons
By Michael McHUGH
It has been fascinating to note the varying and divergent opinions of former GAA players and managers in recent days over the now infamous ‘Cassgate’ affair, which as a one time Kerry bishop remarked of the great Irish union leader Jim Larkin – ‘arrived with the devastating roar of a volcano, without a preliminary wisp of smoke’. Who could have thought that the raised fist of glory after Kevin Cassidy scored the winning point in the All-Ireland quarter final against Kildare, would by mid November, have transformed in some people’s eyes, to that of a rude salute, meriting instant dismissal from the Donegal GAA senior squad?
There has always been an unspoken code, understanding, nod, call it what you wish amongst GAA players and managers that certain things “that happen on the mile, stay on the Mile.”
Not a contract you would see lying on a solicitor’s desk, though.
Some ‘slights’, hurts’, ‘misunderstandings’ and ‘differences of opinion’ were even taken to the grave in earlier GAA generations, often over the most innocuous of reasons or spats.
Ironically the cause of the ‘grudge’ was often protected and veiled with even greater zeal than the third secret of Fatima.
Things were said, sometimes hurtful, sometimes in fun, but reading them in the printed word could magnify the intensity and zeal of the ‘slight’ or ‘hurt’ – Richter scale-style like.
Think of the some of the GAA writings and biographies of recent years that have caused controversy, as opinions of fellow players, management, fans, and the organisation itself that were inked up, to sell extra copies.
This was an even bigger crime than a round of ‘fisticuffs’ between parties to an alleged ‘slight’ as you can’t bandage or mop up a drop of blood from a book or article. It has always been a grey area – these ‘GAA truth commissions’.
JE NE REGRETTE RIEN
In this case, the two times Donegal GAA All-Star Kevin Cassidy is singing “Je ne regrette rien” regarding comments he made in the book, This is our Year, chronicling the Ulster GAA year through the perspective of nine Ulster intercounty players. (Is anyone going to read about the endeavours of the other eight?)
But in times to come, the proud Dad of beautiful young twin girls may maturely reflect
on the timing of his candid remarks, rather than the veracity or otherwise of the remarks themselves, that have once again and sadly, put the spotlight firmly on the Donegal GAA and its workings.
What should have been a gracious autumnal start to a distinguished county career has plummeted into a tailspin that has gone completely out of control.
I very much doubt that his remarks or opinions came as any great shock to the vast majority of the Donegal GAA fraternity or how Jim McGuinness worked his magic on re-inventing the team’s tactics and persuaded the Gaoth Dobhair man back into the fold, for a last roll of the dice for Ulster glory.
But there is a time and place for everything and I just don’t think it was the time or the place.
Men like John Joe Doherty, Jim McGuinness’s predecessor have our respect in Donegal, not because they deserve it, it is because they have earned it. Like Cass he slogged his backside from one training session to another, given all for the cause and while that may not have made him the most successful county manager ever, years later, as opposed to his playing career, the dust had barely settled on his tenure at the managerial helm.
2011 was about what Donegal GAA and its senior county team could do, when they set to minds to it, not what they should have done in the past or how it was done.
It was about the renaissance of Donegal on the GAA fields of Ulster, about a team that brought pride to its citizens, annoyed the critics and delivered the Anglo Celt Cup – not about the foibles of yesterday, individual players or basking in the limelight of contented achievement.
I think that in time, Kevin Cassidy’s comments would still have ruffled a feather or two, but an autobiography, after hanging up the boots, may still have been the more appropriate forum, if he was still so inclined by then.
I do not believe that he intended to ‘annoy’ or ‘slight’ anyone, but even in the heat of battle, there is a distinction between ‘putting the boot in’ and ‘putting the ball over the bar’.
Some weeks ago, I wrote that a young Cassidy playing in a county minor final had nominated ‘Gazza’ as the person he most wanted to meet in the world in the county final programme. Today, on mature reflection, I wonder would the older and wiser Mr Cassidy still pick Paul Gascoigne as the sportsperson in the world he would most like to meet. Who knows?
UNFINISHED BUSINESS
Until earlier this week Kevin was on the county panel, a ‘team’ player, a vibrant leader, who was still in the cauldron of “unfinished business” as he called it himself, when he was axed by Jim McGuinness.
A nine year gap between All Stars shows just how long and hard he magnificently worked to ‘finish’ the business – probably the longest gap between a first and 2nd All Star award ever.
1992 All Ireland medal winner John Joe Doherty and former Donegal senior manager
As to his involvement in the book, he said he “hadn’t run it by team management”, not a wise idea for a player who has previously had a run-in or two with Donegal management teams in his younger playing days over alleged disciplinary matters, while later returning as the Prodigal Son.
But maybe we underestimate Kevin. He must surely have realised that his comments would create a strong reaction or ‘stir’ at the least. Maybe he underestimated the reaction, maybe he never gave any thought to the potential fallout or was it, in fact, his get out of jail card, as he tried to balance the total commitment that Jim McGuinness wanted and what he and his young family wanted.
Could it even have been a sublimal – I’m a celebrity – get me out of here moment!
EXUBERANCE
Cassidy has always been at his powerful best, when he has done his talking on the football field. He knows that himself. He has been a fine leader of men, not shying away from the physical or mental challenge of engagement. Off the pitch his exuberance occasionally did not have the same impact.
But that is human nature and he can neither be applauded nor castigated for just being like the rest of us.
The end of his glittering county career has now apparently ended with a script written to a Skakesperian tragedy template.
There are varying shades of grey within the wide GAA family. Kevin Cassidy interpreted them one way, his manager Jim McGuinness, clearly was sporting a different match programme.
And in the vacuum that now remains, Donegal football is the real loser, AGAIN.
But as Humphrey Bogart might have said in 2011 . . . we’ll always have Clones!
